REPORT: Shohei Ohtani Likely to Have Tommy John Surgery and Could Be Out Until 2020

Every baseball fan understands how important Mike Trout is to the ​Los Angeles Angels, yet the hype surrounding Shohei Ohtani is truly remarkable. Not only has the rookie pitcher flashed potential with a 3.10 ERA, but he's also feasting at the plate with an impressive .289 batting average.

Unfortunately, the first-year phenom is expected to undergo ​Tommy John surgery for his UCL sprain, which could force him out of action until 2020.

​​Although there were fears early on surrounding Ohtani's elbow, the Japanese sensation rarely showed any decline in his pitching. However, over recent weeks, concerns have grown around the dual-threat superstar.

Right now, Ohtani's sprain is listed at Grade 2, which means the Angels are better off opting for surgery. After all, a complete tear of his UCL would be downright catastrophic for Los Angeles.

Just when the league was starting to watch another star rise to prominence, injury strikes once again.

REPORT: Shohei Ohtani likely to have Tommy John surgery, return in 2020, per @pedrogomezESPN.